Impermanence and the Three Marks of Existance

The Buddha identified the three characteristics or the Three Marks of phenomenon (Thri Lakkhana), impermanence, suffering and selflessness (egolessness), as doorways to liberation (Vimukthi Mukha). This philosophy is only found in Buddhist teachings and is beyond the common understanding of the world for instance, the notion of impermanence.

The reality of impermanence is misconceived in the world as it recognises it as impermanence of a thing or being that is already exists. A piece of furniture, for e.g. a table, is considered as an item that is subject to the phenomenon of ‘Impermanence’, similarly a car or a person. This is the understanding within the world. The drawback as seen from the point of view of Buddha’s teaching here is that the thing or the person is first recognised as something that exists in the world before its nature of impermanence, in the worldly sense, is taken into consideration.

One can contemplate on ‘impermanence’ of things or persons in this manner; however, will never be able to see it by himself at once, which is fundamental to Buddhist realisation. Note here that the person is already deceived by the Distortions (vipallasa), through perception, mind, and view, in determining the object that exist before attention is drawn to the impermanent nature of the object. Contemplating in this manner will help to an extent in acquiring merits and reducing the defilements of greed and aversion, nevertheless, the being is not free from forming Kamma, as Merit itself is considered as forming kamma ( punyabhi sankhara).

The Buddha advised to see beyond the form as a product that is formed due to combination of factors, as a result of the cause and effect phenomenon. He pointed to the transitory nature of form and stressed the importance of observing the arising and ceasing phenomenon to recognise it's impermanent nature. By pursuing in this manner through insight meditation, it is said, one can realise that things do not exist before or after the occurrence of ‘seeing’ but arise to the occasion when conditions are present  and cease thereafter when conditions cease to exist. This is referred to as pubbanta nana (knowledge that things didn’t exist before) and aparata nana (knowledge that things do not exist after), knowing both and seeing it’s arising and ceasing nature at the present is known as pubbanta-aparanta nana. When the above is known one is considered as knowing the Dependant Origination occurrence (Paticcasamuppada Nana). Realising the arising ceasing nature of form completely eradicate ignorance. When one is free from ignorance there is no more craving or clinging, thus no ‘existence’ (bhava) . When he is freed from existence he is free from becoming or jati and hence, decay and death and so on, that is defined as suffering.

It is also said that impermanence leads to suffering, Yadaniccan tan dukkan. This is due to the notion of permanence grasped by the worldly beings. When the reality is not known the man believes that the things they form in mind, sanskaras, in relation to external objects exist permanently. He is ignorant of the transitory nature of compounded things and thus clings to the impressions formed in mind as those which exist permanently out there. Due to the fact that the mental impression is formed by himself in his own mind it lingers in his memory, grasping as man, woman or car etc. This is the view with which we lay people interact in this world accumulating karma in the process. The suffering occurs when the external objects which are subject to transformation appear different to the mental impressions that he has grasped as things or persons that are permanent. When he realises the error and overcomes his ignorance through the Right View, he is not deceived anymore and hence eliminate craving & clinging, the cause for suffering. It is further said when it is suffering it cannot be considered as ‘me or mine’ hence Anatma (selfless), Yan Dukkan Tadanatta. Through the Right View one will see the three characteristics of phenomena, Impermanence, Suffering and Selflessness.

The Simile of the Mirror Image

When we stand in front of the mirror we know that the image formed on it arises as we look into the mirror, due to the presence of several factors, i.e. Mirror, our body and light. We also know that the image disappear when we move away from the mirror. We do not grasp the mirror image as a thing that exists permanently. If one can meditate on that occurrence alone it will help him to develop his skills and to remove his delusion in day to day encounters establishing the impermanent nature of all things. He will know that the eye, the object and eye consciousness are all impermanent and just arise to the occasion and cease thereafter. He will see the void in what he used to cling onto as things that exist permanently, like the image falling on the mirror.